SME Sustainability Story: Six Senses Crans-Montana

For businesses, it is no longer enough to talk about reducing waste or lowering carbon footprints behind closed doors. Guests, clients, and customers want to see action, transparency, and innovation. At the Six Senses Crans-Montana resort, they have embraced this challenge not only as a responsibility but also as an opportunity to rethink how business can be done by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By weaving sustainability directly into their offerings, they have discovered that ecological responsibility and financial intelligence are not opposites but can instead reinforce each other.

The Earth Lab in Crans-Montana, where the water for the resort is bottled.

Who is Six Senses?

Six Senses started in 1995 as a self-sufficient barefoot luxury island resort. Over the last thirty years, it has pioneered Sustainable Luxury Hospitality. Today, they have expanded to 27 locations, which integrate not only back-of-house sustainability initiatives but also bring sustainability to the forefront through unique experiences, the Earth Lab, their Sustainability Fund, and more.

Bottling Sustainability: A Triple-Win Innovation

At the Six Senses Crans-Montana, sustainability is not just a behind-the-scenes practice; it is something their guests can see and experience firsthand. One of the best examples is their in-house water bottling system. Every bottle of drinking water is filled right there on site, in front of the guests. This makes the practice more than a process; it becomes a storytelling aspect for the brand—a story of ecological responsibility, financial intelligence and social engagement.

The bottling facility itself is a site to visit and becomes part of the vacation experience. With its shifting mechanical parts, it sparks curiosity and invites questions. This curiosity opens the door for meaningful conversations with the staff who explain the reduced carbon footprint, made possible through the reuse of glass bottles, as well as the benefits of the unique alkaline minerality of the glacier water used and its benefits for balancing the acidity of modern diets. Additionally, they point out how the entire water bottling project pays for itself within just 24 months, highlighting the financial benefit of in-sourcing this procedure.

This closed-loop system embodies what they call a "triple win":

• Ecological superiority through waste and carbon reduction

• Social value through education and storytelling

• Financial intelligence through smart in-sourcing

To them, bottling water in-house is not only practical but also a way to live their sustainable values and bring their guests along on the journey.

Why Six Senses Crans-Montana joined the UN Global Compact

As Six Senses Crans-Montana is focused on sustainability as a core principle, as well as sustainability and wellness being its unique selling point, joining the UN Global Compact was a natural move.

''The joining of the UNGC was about wanting to connect with like-minded for-profit peers"

Furthermore, they are of the belief that businesses banding together to announce their commitment to sustainability publicly and to show the tangible impact each one of them has can start the ball rolling for other businesses to start their own sustainability journey and move the needle.

Advice for other SMEs

When it comes to sustainability, one thing is clear to Six Senses Crans-Montana:

"We play in a capitalist, for-profit terrain, and must play intelligently by the rules"

To them, true impact happens when ecological benefits align with business benefits. They believe that the greatest opportunity lies in shifting the mindset around traditional business models. Instead of framing sustainability as a sacrifice, they frame it as an advantage by showing how it can generate savings, increase efficiency, and strengthen a brand's value.

This approach sets the stage for a larger movement. As more businesses recognize the financial and reputational benefits of sustainable practices, momentum grows. Eventually, the pressure of critical mass means even the non-believers are compelled to follow suit.

Conclusion

Sustainability is not just about doing what is right for the planet; it is about reimagining how business can succeed. By aligning ecological practices with financial and social value, they have created systems that are resilient, intelligent, and inspiring. Their in-house bottling system shows how innovation can deliver a triple win, while their advice to other SMEs highlights the power of working with the realities of today's economy.

When sustainability becomes inseparable from profitability and branding, it transforms from a niche value into an integral part of any business. We are proud to have Six Senses Crans-Montana as a participant and hope that their story of making sustainability an inseparable part of their business inspires other SMEs.

If you are an SME and interested in inspiring fellow SMEs with your sustainability success story, do not hesitate to contact our Sustainability Advisor via email: fabio.gfeller@globalcompact.ch.

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Disclaimer: The SME Stories are intended strictly for learning purposes and do not constitute an endorsement of the individual companies. Unless otherwise indicated, the content is not intended to reflect the official positions, views or opinions of the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The case study does not make any assessment of whether the companies presented fully align with the UN Global Compact Ten Principles. The aim is rather to demonstrate the feasibility of sustainability management and to offer SMEs suggestions for their own implementation.

Photo credits: Six Senses Crans-Montana